Candida Basics: Important Info

I confess I’ve started this post multiple times and then rejected it because the topic of Candida is too large to tackle in a single post. I therefore chose to share multiple posts about Candida and its effects. Those posts include:

Candida is, quite simply, yeast. We all need a tiny bit of it in our systems to maintain balance in our digestive tract. In a perfect world, our immune system keeps Candida in balance. Sometimes, however, Candida growth can reach a level where it overwhelms the immune system.

As with any yeast, Candida feeds on sugars. Because the Standard American Diet (SAD) is loaded with carbohydrates that our bodies metabolize into simple sugars, Candida overgrowth is a very common problem in today’s world. Other factors that can trigger Candida overgrowth include antibiotics, birth control pills, diabetes, pregnancy, hormonal imbalances (including imbalances in reproductive, pituitary, thyroid, adrenal and hypothalamic hormones), drinking tap water (chlorine kills beneficial bacteria in the gut, which can lead to Candida overgrowth), immune challenges, genetically modified foods, and alcohol consumption.

Candida Overgrowth

Candida overgrowth can affect the body in a wide variety of ways. The overgrowth tends to start in the digestive tract. In the early stages of Candida overgrowth, symptoms may include indigestion, GERD, diarrhea or constipation, cramping and more. As the Candida continues to grow, it gains strength and will begin to bore holes in the colon. This results in what is commonly known as Leaky Gut Syndrome. Although Leaky Gut can have a variety of causes, Candida is one of the most common.

Things tend to go downhill after Leaky Gut Syndrome develops. The holes in the gut allow undigested food particles to enter the blood stream. Since the body doesn’t recognize undigested food molecules, it may launch an attack against those molecules, causing an autoimmune response. Food allergies are a common result of Candida overgrowth. There is also a hypothesis that Fibromyalgia is the result of undigested food molecules in the bloodstream which become lodged against muscles and in joints, causing pain.

Candida can also cause other autoimmune issues. One of the most common autoimmune issue I see resulting from Candida overgrowth is an allergy to mushrooms and to environmental molds. This makes sense logically, since each are other forms of fungus. If the body is already reacting to and trying to control an internal fungal overgrowth, it logically will negatively react to fungi in the environment or fungi that are consumed.

Effects of Candida Overgrowth

Candida overgrowth can have a multitude of symptoms. It would take multiple posts to cover them all, but many of them are not issues most people would associate with yeast. The belief that the only indicators of fungal overgrowth are vaginal yeast infections, jock itch and/or athlete’s foot are false. Many mainstream doctors don’t believe there is any such thing as Candida overgrowth, in spite of multiple studies proving they do indeed exist. Following are just a few of the most common side effects of Candida overgrowth:

Digestive problems

Tan-colored stools

Fatigue (sometimes extreme due to the energy the body exerts to fight the Candida infection)

Unfortunately, that long list is just the tip of the iceberg related to the symptoms Candida overgrowth can cause. The toxicity of Candida is the primary cause of these symptoms. Unfortunately, Candida overgrowth puts quite a strain on the body’s immune system and autoimmune system. The most common test used to identify fungal overgrowth are tests of the stools. Many practitioners don’t do the stool tests, since the symptoms of Candida overgrowth are often easily recognized. Medical history and lifestyle habits are also often a sufficient means of identifying a Candida issue.

Correcting the Problem

The biggest problem with treating Candida overgrowth is that yeast are incredibly adaptive. One of the first organisms to return after fires or nuclear attacks, yeast quickly adapt to changes in their environment. This means they quickly become resistant to the more commonly used herbal treatments. Oil of Oregano used to be very effective, but in the past few years yeast organisms have become very resistant to Oregano Oil. Yeast also have a tendency to protect themselves with what are called bio-films.

A bio-film is a wall of minerals and organisms yeast use to create a protective barrier to surround themselves with. The bio-film effectively prevents antimicrobials and antifungals from reaching the yeast cells and prevent them from being killed. Unfortunately, bio-films can even prevent prescription antifungals (such as Nystatin, Diflucan, Nizoral, etc.) from killing Candida cells.

So how can Candida be brought into control? It takes commitment and a multi-faceted effort including dietary changes and a variety of different supplements. It also requires the use of specific enzyme supplements to “eat through” the bio-film so that the antifungal and antimicrobial supplements (and pharmaceuticals in extreme cases) can reach the yeast cells. It is also necessary to take large doses of probiotics to help re-establish a positive balance of good bacteria in the digestive system.

The process of bringing Candida overgrowth into control can take several months. It can also cause uncomfortable symptoms as the yeast cells die and the body begins eliminating them, but there are many ways to reduce those symptoms.

This is my first post in a series of posts covering Candida. Future posts will include a post on how to recognize and deal with Candida die-off symptoms, followed by a post summarizing the anti-Candida diet that I typically recommend. Thanks for taking time to read this entire post!

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to schedule an appointment to discuss your health issues and to begin my 12-week Candida Protocol.

Dr. Pamela Reilly is a Naturopathic Physician dedicated to helping people improve their health and eliminate symptoms using natural, integrative methods. She has over 25 years of experience and has helped men, women and children improve their health using a holistic, client-centered focus. She sees clients in Indianapolis, does house calls, and also conducts consultations via Skype or telephone. Please feel free to contact her or visit her Consultations page for more information. Dr. Pamela speaks nationwide on a wide variety of health topics and welcomes speaking invitations.

[…] Please forgive me! Before reading this post, please read my prior two posts related to Candida: Candida 101 and Dietary Options for Candida. Those two posts provide a great foundation of information that […]

Congrats on doing a bio-film program! Some people do need to continue the program to a lesser degree longer than 12 weeks. Work with your practitioner to determine what is best for you. Some people find their gut heals naturally after the Candida is balanced, while others need to use a gut-healing protocol to help. Again, work with your practitioner to determine what is best for you. I wish you well!

I look forward to reading future posts. I'm doing the biofilm protocol using enzymes, pre and probiotics, and a citrus seed extract to get rid of this stuff. It seems to be working well so far but I worry that I won't be able to maintain my progress after the 12 weeks. I was also wondering what can be done to heal a leaky gut if that has happened already?

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